Cleating system for a medical cannula

Inventors

Isshiki, Ryo

Assignees

Conmed Corp

Abstract

A suture cleating system for arthroscopic or endoscopic cannula to facilitate suture management while preserving seal functionality. The suture cleating system includes an end cap with an aperture extending therethrough and one or more cleats extending therefrom. A cannula body extends distally from the end cap. A seal is connected between the cannula body and the end cap. The seal has a seal slit extending therethrough and the seal slit is substantially aligned with the aperture of the end cap. In use, a suture extends through the cannula, the seal slit, and the aperture in the end cap. The suture can be tensioned from the aperture in the end cap and secured in a suture slot between two cleats.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to a suture cleating system for arthroscopic cannulas and endoscopic cannulas. An end cap includes an outer surface with an aperture extending therethrough and one or more cleats extending therefrom, and a seal is connected to the end cap and has a seal slit extending at least partially across its diameter.

The system maintains seal alignment between the seal and the end cap by configuring the seal slit to be substantially aligned with the aperture of the end cap. The aperture is hexagonal and includes two opposing triangular recesses extending therefrom, and each triangular recess extends to two converging suture slots positioned on the outer surface of the end cap.

A suture passes through the cannula and through the seal slit and the aperture, and the tensioned suture is secured into suture slots between cleats. The seal slit and the aperture geometry are arranged to preserve proximal flexible seal functionality during suture cleating and to guide suture docking while maintaining seal closure.

An alternative embodiment includes a cannula body extending distally from the end cap, with the seal connected between the cannula body and the end cap and the seal having a seal slit extending therethrough. The seal slit is substantially aligned with the aperture, and the aperture geometry remains hexagonal with two opposing triangular recesses leading to two converging suture slots.

Claims Coverage

The independent claims are directed to a suture cleating system with end cap aperture/cleats and a seal whose seal slit is aligned with the aperture, and they further define an aperture geometry. Across the independent claims, the coverage focuses on 4 main inventive elements.

The claim coverage centers on an end-cap aperture/cleat configuration and a seal whose seal slit is substantially aligned with a hexagonal end-cap aperture having two opposing triangular recesses that extend to two converging suture slots, and it additionally includes a distally extending cannula body with a seal connected between the cannula body and the end cap.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications